Eddie Tappe spent almost 12 years taking people’s bets, now punters are lining up to punt on his star trotter Im Bobby.
Tappe was an on-course TAB manager operations manager for Victoria’s north-eastern region across all three racing codes until late November 24.
Horses have always been part of life, but after 45 years as a hobby trainer, the 71-year-old Tappe is living his dream with one of Australia’s best trotters.
Last Saturday, Im Bobby led throughout to emphatically beat reigning Inter Dominion champion Arcee Phoenix in the Shepparton Trotters’ Cup.
It followed a breakthrough 2025 season where at the age of six, Im Bobby soared to stardom with 12 wins and eight placings from just 23 starts.
“I always liked him as a younger horse and he made the Vicbred finals at two, three and four. I thought he’d make a city-class trotter, but never could I have believed he’d take me where he has over the past 18 months,” Tappe said.
“He won seven in a row last year, took me up to win and Menangle and now we’ve won the hometown Cup.
“He means a lot to me. He’s very special.”
Shepparton was a local win of sorts given Tappe’s property is at nearby Congupna where trains just three horses and usually runs some cattle.
The night got even bigger when Abbie, an eight-year-old sister to Im Bobby, gave Tappe a double on the night.
“I bought the mare, Aldebaran Peggy, and Abbie and Im Bobby were the only two foals I bred from her before she missed getting in foal one year and I sold her,” he said. “To have them both win on the same night was such a thrill.
“I’m not sure what it is, but they’re eight years old (Abbie) and seven (Im Bobby) and both are racing in the best form of their careers.”
Now Tappe is dreaming of Im Bobby contesting Australia’s premier trotting race, the Group 1 Great Southern Star, at Melton on February 14.
Freakish five-year-old mare Keayang Zahara, who boasts 21 wins from just 22 starts, is a commanding favourite for the Great Southern Star and Im Bobby will meet her for just the second time in Saturday night’s Group 2 Ballarat Trotters’ Cup.
He ran a third to her in the Group 1 Maori Mile last Saturday week.
“As big as it was beating Arcee Phoenix, I don’t think he’s quite racing at his best and this is an even higher mountain to climb,” he said.
“As much as Bobby’s improved over the past 18 months, he will need to go to another level again to test Keayang Zahara.
“It’s going to be even harder this week now we’ve drawn the back row (gate eight), but we’ll give it a go and it’ll show where he’s at.
“I’m incredibly proud of what he’s achieved and he makes me look better than I am.”
Just like remarkable pacing veteran Bulletproof Boy, one of the keys to Im Bobby’s surge to prominence has been Tappe getting young gun James Herbertson to do most of the race driving.
In 15 drives, Herbertson boasts a staggering 10 wins, three seconds and two thirds.
